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GEORGE WENDT FROM CHEERS TO STAR AS SANTA CLAUS IN ELF THE MUSICAL AT BOCH CENTER WANG THEATRE

Wendt Originated The Role Of Santa In The Broadway Production, Which Is Making Its Much-Anticipated Return To Boston

Oct 3, 2017

New York, NY (October 3, 2017) – The Boch Center and The Madison Square Garden Company announced today that George Wendt, from the long-running television series Cheers, will star as Santa in ELF The Musical, which is returning to Boston this holiday season. This limited engagement runs at the Boch Center Wang Theatre from November 28 through December 10, 2017. Tickets are on sale now.

Wendt is best known for his role in the successful television sitcom Cheers, where he played Norm Peterson throughout the eleven-year run of the series. He has appeared on television programs including Taxi, Soap, M*A*S*H, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Becker, among many others. Additionally, Wendt has made numerous appearances on NBC’s Saturday Night Live. Recently, Wendt has been seen on Broadway where he originated the role of Santa in the Broadway production of ELF The Musical and played the role of Edna Turnblad in Hairspray.

“ELF has become a holiday staple since the movie was released in 2003 and having been part of the original Broadway cast, I witnessed firsthand the joy this hilarious musical interpretation brought to fans,” says George Wendt. “Having the opportunity to bring this ‘real life’ Santa to the stage once again is exciting and I can’t wait
to share the laughter with audiences of all ages.”

ELF The Musical is the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole. Unaware that he is actually human, Buddy’s enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father, discover his true identity, and help New York remember their inner ELF.

"We are thrilled to welcome George back to the production as Santa,” says Mark Kaufman, Executive Vice President, Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures. “He originated the role on Broadway and brought such fun and laughter to the role. We look forward to having him return to this beloved character once again.”

Additional casting will be announced at a later date.

Based on the beloved 2003 New Line Cinema hit, ELF The Musical features songs by Tony Award nominees Matthew Sklar (The Wedding Singer) and Chad Beguelin (Disney’s Aladdin, The Wedding Singer) with a book by Tony Award winners Thomas Meehan (Annie, The Producers, Hairspray) and Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone). The production will feature direction by Sam Scalamoni and choreography by Connor Gallagher. Casting by Stewart/Whitley.

Tickets for ELF The Musical are on sale now and are available at the Boch Center Box Office, Bochcenter.org, by calling (800) 982-ARTS (2787), and via Ticketmaster. Groups of 10 or more may reserve tickets now by contacting Boch Center Group Sales at (617) 532-1116 or groups@bochcenter.org.

About BSL Enterprises
BSL Enterprises is a producing and management partnership between longtime business partners Brett Sirota and Stephen Lindsay. BSL is the managing member of The Road Company theatrical booking agency, and has invested in and/or partnered with shows and companies such as Wicked, SpongeBob SquarePants, Sunday in the Park With George, War Paint, Dirty Dancing, If/Then, The Second City, and Next to Normal.

About Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures
Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures develops and produces first-class musicals and stage productions from the company’s expansive catalogue. WBThV is currently represented on Broadway with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and was previously represented on the West End by Olivier Award-winning musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and on Broadway by the stage adaptation of Stephen King’s Misery starring Bruce Willis and Laurie Metcalf and Tony Award Best Play winner The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Other Broadway credits include the Tony Award-winning musical The Bridges of Madison County and the holiday hit Elf The Musical. The division is readying productions of 17 Again, Dave, Beetlejuice, Night Shift, A Star is Born and Dog Day Afternoon for the stage. WBThV also licenses third-party stage rights including such productions as The Bodyguard, Singin’ in the Rain, Hairspray, The Wizard of Oz, The Color Purple and 42nd Street.

About The Madison Square Garden CompanyThe Madison Square Garden Company (MSG) is a world leader in live sports and entertainment experiences. The company presents or hosts a broad array of premier events in its diverse collection of iconic venues: New York’s Madison Square Garden, The Theater at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and Beacon Theatre; the Forum in Inglewood, CA; The Chicago Theatre; and the Wang Theatre in Boston. Other MSG properties include legendary sports franchises: the New York Knicks (NBA), the New York Rangers (NHL) and the New York Liberty (WNBA); two development league teams -- the Westchester Knicks (NBAGL) and the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL); and one of the leading North American esports organizations, Counter Logic Gaming. In addition, the Company features the popular original production – the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes – and through Boston Calling Events, produces outdoor festivals, including New England’s preeminent Boston Calling Music Festival. Also under the MSG umbrella is TAO Group, a world-class hospitality group with globally-recognized entertainment dining and nightlife brands: Tao, Marquee, Lavo, Avenue, The Stanton Social, Beauty & Essex and Vandal. More information is available at www.themadisonsquaregardencompany.com

About the Boch Center
The Boch Center is one of the nation’s leading nonprofit performing arts institutions and a guardian of the historic Wang and Shubert Theatres. As New England’s largest cultural venue, the Boch Center is home to theater, classical and popular music, dance, comedy,
opera, Broadway musicals, family entertainment, and more. Located in Boston’s historic Theater District, the Boch Center also offers a diverse mix of educational and community outreach initiatives, including the City Spotlights Leadership Program and ArtWeek; collaborates with artists and local nonprofit arts organizations; preserves historic venues; and acts as a champion for Greater Boston’s arts and cultural community. Learn more at bochcenter.org.

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